Torn Apart By Duty
by Marie King
Summary: Padmé and Anakin spend one more night together before he leaves for the Outer Rim.


Padmé looked at her vanity mirror and sighed.

She slid on a pale lavender silk night dress, then tied back her glossy coiled brown hair with a single pale blue satin ribbon.

Padmé then slipped on her japor amulet over her neck, she had it looped on a turquoise crystal chain and always wore it under her robes during the day, she also slid her sliver and diamond wedding ring on her left ring finger.

Smiling slightly she stood up and went out to the veranda.

Anakin was sitting on the right hand sofa, she smiled and went to him.

His face broke into a wide and warm smile and he held out his arms for her.

Padmé smiled back and slipped into his embrace, she wrapped her arms around his neck, he in turn lifted her so that she was on his lap.

She buried her face in his neck while Anakin gathered her to his chest and immersed himself in her flowing brown tresses.

They stayed like that for a long while just being wrapped up in each other was enough for them, they didn't need words to express their love.

Finally Padmé couldn't take the silence.

She lifted her head up but kept her arms around his neck and looked at Anakin solemnly.

She asked numbly "You're leaving tomorrow aren't you Ani, for the Outer Rim?"

Anakin squeezed her waist once and replied softly "Yes I'm afraid I am, my angel."

Try as she might Padmé winced, she gripped his neck harder and started to cry.

Anakin tried this best to comfort her.

He kissed her forehead tenderly.

Anakin then said soothingly "Angel please don't cry I know you are upset but we'll be together soon, we will."

Padmé smiled softly and replied sadly "I am sad Anakin but I'm also very proud of you, I know that this is something you need to do not just for the galaxy but for us as well."

He squeezed her once again then gave her a lingering and passionate kiss.

Anakin then gently disentangled himself from her arms and set her down beside him on the sofa.

Padmé frowned, they stayed in silence for a few more seconds.

She hooked her hair behind her ears and cleared her throat.

She then said worriedly "You've been terribly quiet tonight I can tell there is something more on your mind, please share it with me Ani."

Anakin smiled at her faintly he then gave her a warm hug.

His face soon fell into a hard a serious line.

Anakin said decisively "I've been thinking about this for a while now and I've come to a decision."

Padmé nodded she took his hand of flesh squeezed it reassuringly and kissed it softly.

She then said supportive "All right, what is it?"

Anakin took her face between his hands and replied resolutely "I'm not going to leave I'm going to stay here on Coruscant, here with _you_."

She gasped and clamped her right hand on her mouth.

Padmé gently but firmly disentangled herself form her loving husband's embrace and went to stand at the edge of the veranda.

They both stayed quiet for a few moments Padmé shorting through the swirl of emotions all firing off inside her head.

Finally after what seemed like forever she turned to face him again.

She reached out her right hand for his left one and he took it gratefully.

Padmé sighed and said unwaveringly "Oh my love, how I wish you can stay with me, but you _must_ go, think of the repercussions if you were to stay, Obi-Wan and the other Jedi would question your motivations and I'm certain they will discover us."

Anakin pulled her into his arms.

She leaned her head against his chest while he wound his arms more securely around her waist, he then picked her up and carried her up the staircase toward their bedroom.

They sank into their bed.

She propped their pillows up behind them so they would be comfortable.

They sat up against the the head board his mechanical hand cool yet comforting in her soft right human hand.

Anakin squeezed her hand once.

He let out a deep breath and replied softly "I don't want to leave you, but I know I must, it's just that I love you so much Padmé and I can't bear the thought of being apart from you."

She wound her right arm around his waist and brought him close to her.

Padmé leaned her head against his chest and said softly "I know Ani, I know, but you need to do this, promise me you'll go tomorrow, please."

He cradled her face tenderly in his black gloved mechanical hand.

She leaned lovingly into his touch.

Anakin kissed her warmly and replied devotedly "I'll go, but I want you to understand something."

She nodded and asked breathless "What?"

He kissed her tenderly and said intensely "I promise that I will come back to you whatever you may hear over the Holo-Net I will_ always_ return to you, my love."

Padmé pulled him down onto the soft silken sheets of their bed, he slid his arms around her and lifted her up so that she was straddling him.

She pushed into him and replied thickly "I know you will come back to me Ani I have no doubt you will, I love you."

Anakin slid off her night dress and he in turn slipped of his rope, both now were nearly undressed.

He smiled and said fondly "I love you, let's not think about being apart right now let's think about being _together_."

Her face almost immediately became tight with anxiety.

She said frighteningly "Anakin I'm going to miss you so much I-"

He put his mechanical hand to her lips and said softly "Hush, now I promised I will come back, and I have all intentions on keeping my promise, let's just focus on _us_ now all right?"

Padmé turned her head away.

Once again that night try as she might tears began to stream freely down her face.

Anakin gently wiped them away, he wrapped his arms around her neck and held her softly while she wept.

She took a breath and began to calm down, once she had stopped crying he kissed her lips tenderly.

Padmé smiled sightly and replied apologetic "I'm so sorry Anakin, I know this isn't the romantic send off you were expecting, it's just I am going to miss you so much-"

Once again that night he put his mechanical hand to her lips and smiled fondly at her.

He kissed her passionately and replied reverently "I know my love, please don't apologize for how you are feeling, I feel the same way but I need you understand when I say that I will come home to you my love,_ my life_, I will come home."

She nodded comforted more by the words he just said than any kiss he had given her that night.

Padmé took the bottom of her lingerie off and pushed against Anakin more aggressively.

His face soon became warm with desire and love.

She quickly realized that he had taken off his undergarments before she had taken off her own.

Padmé kissed Anakin with all the passion she could muster.

She then said yearningly "You're right Ani, now is the time to be together and that's exactly what I want to do right now to be with you."

Anakin smiled and replied fervently "That's all I want too, I love you, Padmé."

She grinned and said warmly "I love you, Ani."

With that they both gave themselves to each other, Padmé knew that their time apart would be difficult but she had faith that their strong love would get them both through.

After their many rounds they lay in the darkness of their bedroom both were tired but filled with love.

Anakin picked up her amulet, he held it up for her to see.

Fingering it wistfully he said lovingly "As long as you wear this I will never leave your heart."

Padmé kissed him and said softly "I know it Ani, I know."

She then mounted him and they again began their passionate lovemaking.


End file.
